Ireland will go into the End of Year Tour match against South Africa without captain Brian O’Driscoll and hooker Rory Best after both players were ruled out of the entire series of Irish matches.

Ireland face South Africa, Fiji and Argentina without their leader and their first choice hooker as O’Driscoll is required to undergo surgery on his ankle and Best sprained neck ligaments over the weekend’s matches.

Irish coach Declan Kidney is now forced to further alter his backline after an earlier injury has forced fullback Rob Kearney out of the international matches, with the captaincy likely to fall to Paul O’Connell.